The present invention relates generally to communication networks, and more particularly, to a system and method for communicating information among a group of participants connected to such networks using a dynamic distribution of data.
Many applications are known that can be implemented to promote communication among members or participants in a group. For example, bulletin boards, news groups, and scheduling programs (e.g. Lotus Notes) each offer thread management and archiving functions for public and private consumption. Several of these applications can be accessed via computer networks, such as the Internet.
Each of these applications suffers from certain drawbacks. One such drawback is that most group applications require a user to locate the application by browsing the World Wide Web (xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d), accessing a Universal Record Locator (xe2x80x9cURLxe2x80x9d), or other proprietary means. Consequently, the user must either have prior knowledge of the specific URL or navigate the Web. In the case of Web navigation, the member may access unwanted links to other web sites, when searching for the desired application. This tends to frustrate and confuse the member.
Another drawback to known application systems is that a member is required to use a proprietary client-server system. For example, to schedule a conference having many members using Lotus Notes or Outlook Exchange, each member of the group must be configured to use the specified client-server system. This is unduly burdensome and potentially expensive to the members of the group.
Group applications, such as a poll located on the Web, are also often unstructured. To accumulate answers to a poll, the question can be posted on a web site for members in the group to access and answer. However, any computer user with a web browser that can access the web site containing the question may also answer. In this way, unwanted answers are submitted, and the poll results tend to be inaccurate. Participation by unwanted users can be limited by implementing a security mechanism. Typically, this requires a member to complete tedious surveys, cumbersome biographical forms and annoying questionnaires, and also input possible confidential information.
Some applications can be integrated with Internet electronic mail (xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d) to also to restrict the number of users to only specified recipients of the e-mail messages. However, current e-mail systems have several drawbacks. Known e-mail systems can only support static content messages. This means that the content of the e-mail message may become stale or outdated as members of the group consider the message and respond.
Using current e-mail systems, the user is also faced with the daunting task of sorting messages accumulated from group members. Once gathered together, the user must sift through the text of these messages, which is often duplicated. Additionally, content embedded in an e-mail, such as an attached file, is unnecessarily duplicated and stored on a number of mail servers. This wastes bandwidth and can cause bottlenecks in the network.
In general, the present invention is directed to a method for communicating information to or collaborating among participants of a group using an electronic medium having dynamic content stored in a server. Preferably, the dynamic content is asynchronously dynamically updated or dynamically retrieved in response to an open action by any of the participants or an action by an external source in data communication with the server. In this way, the preferred method causes the dynamic content in the electronic medium to be current when read or accessed by any of the participants.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for communicating information among participants of a group using an electronic medium having dynamic content stored in a server. The method includes parsing a message received by each of the participants from the server in response to an open action by any of the participants receiving the message. The electronic medium may be served with a then current dynamic content stored in the server in response to the open action. The dynamic content may be asynchronously dynamically updated in or retrieved from the server based on input from at least one of the participants or an external source in data communication with the server.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following. The updated dynamic content stored in the server may be sent in response to another open action by other participants receiving the message. The updated dynamic content may be current when retrieved by any of the participants. The message may include a plurality of static content, and the external source may include news feeds or stock quotes. The electronic medium may further include an interaction region for accepting the input from the participants. The electronic medium may be substantially immediately served after the open action. The dynamic content may be updated asynchronously relative to the sending of the updated dynamic content based on another open action or the input from the participants. A collaboration may be promoted among the participants using the interaction region, and the dynamic content may be updated as a function of the collaboration. The message may be an electronic mail message or a voice mail message. The parsing step may include determining a receiving capability for each of the participants, and accessing the dynamic content from the server based on the receiving capability. The dynamic content may include audio content, video content, binary content, text, executable content, or images. The server may be configured to support a plurality of electronic mail or internet protocols. The electronic mail protocols may include MIME or SMTP.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for communicating information among a group that includes sending an electronic form to a server containing network addresses of recipients in a group. A message may be transmitted to each of the recipients from the server in response to the sending of the electronic form. The message may be parsed when the recipients open the message, and an electronic medium may be served from the server in response to the parsing of the message. The electronic medium may contain a then current dynamic content configured by the server. The then current dynamic content may be asynchronously dynamically updated or retrieved based on input from at least one of the recipients or an external source in data communication with the server.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following. The network addresses may be imported from a peripheral device, explicitly inputted into the electronic form, or the electronic form may be partially completed by the server. The electronic form may be accessed or sent from a website, a desktop computer, a cellular phone, or a personal digital assistant. The message may include an electronic mail message or a voice mail message. An acknowledgement message may be sent to a sender of the electronic form to indicate that the message was received by each of the recipients. The dynamic content may be updated, when any of the recipients are viewing or listening to the electronic medium.
In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for electronic messaging among a group of participants that includes creating an electronic form identifying each of the participants by an electronic mail address. An electronic mail message may be sent to each of the identified electronic mail addresses, and the electronic mail message may be parsed when the electronic mail message is opened. An electronic medium stored in a server having a then current dynamic content may be served to the electronic mail address after the message is parsed. The then current dynamic content may be asynchronously dynamically updated or retrieved based on input from at least one of the identified participants or an external source in data communication with the server.
In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of collaborating among participants in a group using electronic medium having a dynamic content stored in a database. The method includes parsing a message received by each of the participants in response to an open action, and serving the electronic medium with a then current dynamic content stored in the database to each of the recipients. Input may be accepted from the participants through an interface configured in the electronic medium, and the dynamic content may be asynchronously dynamically updated or retrieved from the database based on input from at least one of the participants or an external source in data communication with the server.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.